Howdy From Homeland Farm

By Carmen Horton

Carmen's Homeland Farm is located up near Bridgton, Maine. She will focus on her family farm and the humor she finds there. "I love living on the old family farm, and love writing about the often humorous events of our days here," she says.

Other topics on which she plans to write are cooking, animals, antiques, preserving foods, gardening, and more.

When asked about her to-do list, Carmen says "See above." Then she goes on to say: "We are making new chicken runs for raising more meat birds, since our old ones have broken down under the snows from this winter. We have rabbits we are raising for food, and they are about to give birth. We are planning our garden, and thinking about re-opening our farm stand."

Her move to the country was fated, she says. "My family has owned this family farm for five generations. It was my destiny."

She defines a homesteader as "anyone who has a real love of the country life and an interest in being as self-sufficient as possible."

Her garden came about due to her desire to produce as much healthful, homegrown foods as possible. She has in the garden "the usual suspects, including beets, carrots, Swiss chard, cukes, tomatoes, squashes, lettuce, etc."

Carmen and her family share Homeland farm with a few animals. "We have a wide variety of critters," she says. "We have a flock of hens, raise meat birds, and rabbits, both fiber and meat rabbits. We also have alpacas, pot bellied pigs, fiber and dwarf goats and horses. We also raise a beef critter every year as well."

She lists her country skills this way: "I do a lot of canning, and jelly and jam making. We used to do all our own haying, but not in the last couple of years. We raise rabbits, and are planning on turkeys as well this year. I like to cook, and I make a home-cooked, mostly home-raised supper every night."

And her philosophy on country life?

"My philosophy on country life is ... why would you ever want to live anywhere else? The peace, the fresh air, the ability to provide for your family, the small-town life. The country life is the only life, as far as I am concerned."

You can reach Carmen at her blog, or on Facebook (search for Carmen C. Horton).

-Advertisement-

-Advertisement-

-Advertisement-

Live The Good Life with GRIT!

At GRIT, we have a tradition of respecting the land that sustains rural America. That's why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing to GRIT through our automatic renewal savings plan. By paying now with a credit card, you save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of GRIT for only $16.95 (USA only).